Army to strike the sky with ‘Skystrikers’; The contract worth Rs 100 crore signed for suicide drones

Bengaluru: Indian Army signed a contract for more than 100 explosive-laden drones, specialised for suicide attacks, under emergency procurement powers on Wednesday.

 

‘SkyStriker’, or drones that are capable of mass destruction, can carry ammunition atop them and can strike targets from far off distances. ‘SkyStriker’ drones to be made and supplied by Bengaluru-headquartered company named Alpha Design-led joint venture (JV) with Israel based firm Elbit Security Sysy Systems (ELSEC). The contract worth Rs 100 crore was signed on September 1st.

 

According to Elbit Systems , SkyStriker is a cost-effective loitering munition that is capable of long-range precise tactical strikes. The technology-enabled SkyStriker improves performance, situational awareness and survivability by providing direct-fire aerial-precision capabilities to manoeuvrable troops and Special Forces. It is an unmanned aircraft system that can acquire and strike operator-designated targets with a 5kg warhead installed inside the fuselage, enabling high-precision performance.

 

Elbit Systems described SkyStriker as a ‘silent, invisible and surprise attacker, that delivers the utmost in precision and reliability, providing a critical advantage in the modern battlefield’. They can reach a distance of 20 kms within 10 minutes. It uses autonomous navigation during its cruising and loitering phases.

 

Also known as ‘suicide drones’; as it crashes into the target with the explosives. It is an autonomous system that can locate, acquire and strike operator-designated targets with a 5kg warhead installed inside the fuselage. Its electric propulsion offers a minimal acoustic signature, allowing covert operations at low altitude, making it a silent, invisible and surprise attacker.

 

On August 31, 2021, the Indian Navy signed a contract with Navratna Defence PSU Bharat Limited (BEL) for the supply of the first indigenous comprehensive Naval Anti Drone System (NADS) with both hard kill and soft kill capabilities. This indigenously developed anti-drone system is capable of instantly detecting, jamming micro drones and use a laser-based kill mechanism to terminate targets.